FIFTY FIFTY lawsuit controversy explained: All you need to know about the legal battle so far

FIFTY FIFTY has recently become the subject of heated discussions, following the controversy with their agency, ATTRAKT, against which they have filed many allegations. Almost a week ago, the agency put forth a statement revealing that external labels were trying to poach the rookie group and also warned those agencies against the same.

As this issue built up, many were confused about what exactly transpired between the agency and the group that housed them. While fans were led to believe that ATTRAKT's actions were born from an effort to protect their artists, the issue became all the more vague when the four-piece group filed against their company for not obeying contract obligations.

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Timeline of FIFTY FIFTY's lawsuit controversy: From ATTRAKT's allegations to the members' legal battle

After rolling out one of the most viral and chart-dominating tracks, Cupid, for their debut, FIFTY FIFTY took a pause in their career after it was announced that one of the members was in need of medical attention.

It was later revealed that Aran was recommended to take a minimum of two months' rest after their surgery, which took place on May 2. As a result of the same, all schedules revolving around the group have come to a halt currently.

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June 23: ATTRAKT released a statement accusing external agencies of trying to poach FIFTY FIFTY

Around the same time when the medical issue landed on the internet, ATTRAKT also revealed that while the agency was planning for long-term profits and benefits for their artists, the four-piece group was supposedly lured by external companies.

They further declared that the members, who debuted only seven months ago, were being influenced to break their exclusive contract with the agency through illegal actions and approaches.

ATTRAKT expressed how they, as a small and evolving company, are currently powerless to tackle the issue. Regardless, they also stated that they're willing to fight for the protection of the artists with the support of international and domestic fans.

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June 26: ATTRAKT revealed Warner Music Korea as one of the outside agencies

Following the statement where ATTRAKT accused outside agencies who were trying to poach FIFTY FIFTY, another statement released by them revealed that they suspected Warner Music Korea to be one among the many companies who tried to lure the group.

"It turns out that an outsourcing company and Warner Music Korea are involved in the recent incident in which external sources attempted to lure the members with illegal intentions."

In addition, the agency's CEO, Jeong Hong-joon declared in an interview with Star News that they aren't accusing Warner Music Korea of being their primary opponent but are instead expecting an explanation from the company on their stance as a third party associated with the opponent. However, Warner Music Korea refused to admit to those rumors and declared them groundless.

"Warner Music Korea has been working with FIFTY FIFTY as an overseas distributor since April 1st, 2023. Since the contract was signed, we have been utilizing the capabilities and network of Warner Music Group to ensure the shining success of FIFTY FIFTY and their agency. So, we are very sorry that such unfortunate suspicions were raised."

They stated that their association with the group has been no more than a mere global distributor that aims to work towards the group's success in the industry and that ATTRAKT's accusations fall short.

"Warner Music Korea has strived to do our best as a global distributor while respecting the opinions of artists and their agencies, as demonstrated by our various achievements. The claims made by ATTRAKT are groundless, and it’s unfortunate that they sent a certification of contents."

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June 27: ATTRAKT claimed FIFTY FIFTY's scheduled fan cafe shutdown was by an external force

As the claims and accusations made by ATTRAKT got more complicated, the confusion was further fueled by the issue revolving around the group's fan cafe. On June 27, there was a Twitter announcement from the group's official account that their fan cafe will be soon shut down.

However, the agency responded to the same by saying that it was an announcement made by external forces and that their account's control was temporarily mismanaged.

"This was not done by us but was done due to the unauthorized account takeover by external forces. We have confirmed that they have uploaded the post, which says they are going to shut down the official fan cafe. The managing account for the official fan cafe has been recovered, ATTRAKT is taking action as quickly as possible to ensure a smooth fan cafe use and prevent any further re-occurrences."

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June 28: All FIFTY FIFTY members file against ATTRAKT for violating contract obligations

As surprises and confusion continue to add to the controversy surrounding FIFTY FIFTY and their agency, the news of the members filing a lawsuit against ATTRAKT became all the more shocking. The legal representative of the members, Barun Law released a statement revealing that the group has filed a case with Seoul Central District Court against their agency for violating contract terms.

"ATTRAKT has not been listening to the members’ opinions, instead saying how ‘external forces' are attempting to poach the members, and they have not been able to clarify the accusations of their side violating the contract. The members were also very frustrated and disappointed that Aran’s surgery was disclosed without consulting all involved parties."

The legal representative stated that they've been mishandling situations and have been trying to create discussions on other topics to avoid the attention towards them.

"The members questioned the various situations where ATTRAKT did not faithfully fulfill their contract obligations, such as the lack of transparency in financial documents and unilaterally trying to have the group promoted despite the members having health issues. We would also like to clarify that this [lawsuit] was a decision made by the four members themselves, with no outside intervention."

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While it's still unsure to what extent ATTRAKT has been true to their audience and how FIFTY FIFTY's career will move forward after the lawsuit controversy, fans are willing to convey their love and support to them during this period of struggle.